Identifier locator addressing for IPv6-based software defined fabric

Abstract

A network management center includes a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server. The network management center obtains from an identity server, client information indicating authentication of a client device in a wireless network that is connected to a network fabric. The network management center obtains from an edge node in the network fabric an Internet Protocol (IP) address request for the client device. The IP address request including a fabric domain identifier associated with the edge node. The network management center allocates an IP address for the client device based on the client information obtained from the identity server and the fabric domain identifier contained in the IP address request obtained from the edge node. The network management center provides to the edge node an Identifier Locator Addressing (ILA) address based on the IP address.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 at a network management center that includes a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server, obtaining, from an identity server, client information indicating authentication of a client device in a wireless network that is connected to a network fabric; 
 obtaining from an edge node in the network fabric an Internet Protocol (IP) address request for the client device, the IP address request including a Standard Identifier Representation (SIR) prefix associated with the edge node; 
 allocating an IP address for the client device based on the client information obtained from the identity server and the SIR prefix contained in the IP address request obtained from the edge node; and 
 providing to the edge node an Identifier Locator Addressing (ILA) address based on the IP address, wherein the edge node provides the ILA address to a mapping server that maintains a mapping between the SIR prefix and client identifier information. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ILA address includes a locator and an identifier, and wherein the locator is the SIR prefix. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, at the edge node:
 determining a binding between a media access control (MAC) address of the client device and the ILA address of the client device. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, at the edge node:
 obtaining a packet sent by the client device to a destination node having connectivity to the network fabric, the packet including a source SIR prefix associated with the client device and a destination SIR prefix associated with the destination node; and 
 querying the mapping server to obtain location information maintained by the mapping server of the destination node. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 storing at the edge node a cache of supported SIR prefixes; and 
 querying the mapping server when an incoming SIR prefix matches an SIR prefix in the cache. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein querying the mapping server comprises providing a query that includes a tuple of a device identifier and a virtual network identifier. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 4 , further comprising, at the edge node:
 replacing the source SIR prefix with a source locator derived from a locator of the ILA address, and replacing the destination SIR prefix with a destination locator derived from a locator included in the location information obtained from the mapping server; and 
 after the replacing, forwarding the packet into the network fabric which routes the packet using the source locator and destination locator. 
 
     
     
       8. A method comprising:
 at an edge node in a network fabric, obtaining client information indicating authentication of a client device in a wireless network that is connected to the network fabric; 
 obtaining on behalf of the client device an Internet Protocol (IP) address request for the client device; 
 providing, to a network management center that includes a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server, an address request for the client device, the address request including a Standard Identifier Representation (SIR) prefix associated with the edge node; 
 obtaining from the network management center an Identifier Locator Addressing (ILA) address for the client device, the ILA address generated from an IP address allocated for the client device; 
 providing the ILA address to the client device; and 
 providing the ILA address to a mapping server that maintains a mapping between the SIR prefix and client identifier information. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the ILA address includes a locator and an identifier, and wherein the locator is the SIR prefix. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 determining a binding between a media access control (MAC) address of the client device and the ILA address of the client device. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 obtaining a packet sent by the client device to a destination node having connectivity to the network fabric, the packet including a source SIR prefix associated with the client device and a destination SIR prefix associated with the destination node; and 
 querying the mapping server to obtain location information maintained by the mapping server of the destination node. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 storing at the edge node a cache of supported SIR prefixes; and 
 querying the mapping server when an SIR prefix of an incoming packet matches an SIR prefix in the cache. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein querying the mapping server comprises providing a query that includes a tuple of a device identifier and a virtual network identifier. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 replacing the source SIR prefix with a source locator derived from the locator of the ILA address, and replacing the destination SIR prefix with a destination locator derived from a locator included in the location information obtained from the mapping server; and 
 after the replacing, forwarding the packet into the network fabric which routes the packet using the source locator and destination locator. 
 
     
     
       15. A system comprising:
 an edge node; 
 a mapping server; and 
 an apparatus including:
 a communication interface configured to enable network communications on behalf of a network management center that includes a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server; and 
 a processor coupled to the communication interface, wherein the processor is configured to perform operations including:
 obtaining, from an identity server, client information indicating authentication of a client device in a wireless network that is connected to a network fabric; 
 obtaining from the edge node an Internet Protocol (IP) address request for the client device, the IP address request including a Standard Identifier Representation (SIR) prefix associated with the edge node; 
 allocating an IP address for the client device based on the client information obtained from the identity server and the SIR prefix contained in the IP address request obtained from the edge node; and 
 providing to the edge node an Identifier Locator Addressing (ILA) address based on the IP address; 
 
 
 wherein the edge node is configured to provide the ILA address to the mapping server; and 
 wherein the mapping server is configured to maintain a mapping between the SIR prefix and client identifier information. 
 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the ILA address includes a locator and an identifier, and wherein the locator is the SIR prefix. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 15 , and wherein the edge node is further configured to:
 determine a binding between a media access control (MAC) address of the client device and the ILA address of the client device. 
 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the edge node is further configured to:
 obtain a packet sent by the client device to a destination node having connectivity to the network fabric, the packet including a source SIR prefix associated with the client device and a destination SIR prefix associated with the destination node; and 
 query the mapping server to obtain location information maintained by the mapping server of the destination node. 
 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 18 , wherein the edge node is further configured to:
 store a cache of supported SIR prefixes; and 
 query the mapping server when an SIR prefix of an incoming packet matches an SIR prefix in the cache. 
 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 18 , wherein the edge node is further configured to perform operations including:
 replacing the source SIR prefix with a source locator derived from the locator of the ILA address, and replacing the destination SIR prefix with a destination locator derived from a locator included in the location information obtained from the mapping server; and 
 after replacing, forwarding the packet into the network fabric which routes the packet using the source locator and destination locator.